The present invention relates to a finishing strip which is adapted to be secured along the cut edges of floor coverings and more particularly, a kit containing one or more finishing strips which permits an individual consumer to finish such a cut edge without the need for special tools.
Floor coverings, such as floor runners and mats are frequently sold and dispensed in roll format. Conventional carpet rolls consist of an elongated carpet runner which is wound about a spool. Conventional carpet runners and mats are typically manufactured with stitching along each of their longitudinal edges to provide a finished and more aesthetically pleasing appearance. In addition, the edge stitching helps prevent the unraveling of carpet fibers as the carpet wears. Consumers purchase carpet runners and mats by the yard or meter, unrolling the desired length of runner from the spool, after which the unraveled length of carpet runner is cut transversely to its longitudinal length to separate it from a remainder of the roll.
A disadvantage with conventional roll carpet runners exists in that as carpet runners are cut to varying lengths depending upon the needs of the individual consumers, the purchased carpet runner is typically left with ragged cut ends which do not match the stitching of the factory formed longitudinal edges. In addition to being unsightly, the unfinished ends of the carpet tend to fray and separate.
Heretofore, if a retailer wished to sell variable lengths of carpet from a roll, or even carpet remnants with a finished edge, it has been necessary to send the carpet to a carpet finisher offsite to finish the edges. This increases the inconvenience to the carpet purchaser and may delay delivery of the finished product by several weeks.
Various individuals have proposed wooden or plastic trim pieces which are adapted to be secured over the cut ends of the carpet runner. In addition to causing discomfort if walked or stepped upon, conventional end trim pieces are typically unsightly and do not provide the purchased length of carpet runner with a factory or handmade appearance.
The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the difficulties associated with prior art devices by providing a finishing strip which is adapted to be secured over the cut edge or end of a carpet runner, mat, or other floor covering.
Another object of the invention is to provide a kit which permits the attachment of a fabric strip over or along a cut edge of a floor covering without special tools, equipment or skills.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fabric strip which is adapted to be positioned so as to conceal the cut edge of a floor covering, and which has a fiber configuration and/or colour substantially corresponding to the fiber configuration and/or colour of any factory finished edges.
A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive and easily applied finishing strip which is adapted to be placed over the cut edge of a carpet runner and which prevents the end and/or stitched prefinished edges of the runner from fraying.
Another object of the invention is to provide for use in combination with a carpet runner roll, an edging strip comprising a fabric ribbon and an adhesive which may be used to permanently secure the ribbon over a cut end of a selected length of carpet runner.
Another object of the invention is to provide a kit which may be used in combination with a rolled carpet runner and which includes an adhesive backed serging ribbon having a length and width selected to permit its placement over a cut edge or end of the runner, and which has a fiber orientation which mimics the fiber orientation of any preformed factory stitched or formed edges of the runner.
The present invention provides a kit for use in finishing one or more cut edge of floor coverings such as mats, carpets and carpet runners. Most preferably, the kit is adapted to finish the cut ends of roll runners which are characterized by parallel and longitudinally extending preformed factory stitched or otherwise finished side edges. The kit includes a finishing or edging strip which is elongated in a longitudinal direction and which preferably has a length equal to or exceeding the length of the cut edge to be finished. The lateral width of the edging strip is selected so that when secured in place, the strip substantially covers and conceals the cut edge. Although not essential, more preferably, the lateral width of the finishing strip is selected greater than the maximum thickness of the floor covering along the cut edge, so as to overlap upper and/or lower edge portions of the floor covering immediately adjacent to the cut edge. The edging strip includes a flexible fabric or non-fabric ribbon or other suitable finishing strip. The ribbon may have various configurations, and may include without limitation, fabric ribbons, ribbons made from woven and/or knit fibers, ribbons made from serged fibers, and ribbons made from knotted fibers, with or without tassels. Most preferably the fabric has colour and/or fiber orientation which corresponds or complements the colour and/or fiber orientation of any factory finished edges on the uncut ends or sides of the floor covering. Most preferably, the ribbon comprises a serging ribbon having a medial portion with woven and/or elongated fibers oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the strip. Optionally, the elongated fibers may be tied off to form elongated tassels or the like, which extend laterally from a longitudinal side edge of the ribbon.
An attachment member is provided to permanently secure the ribbon in position substantially overlapping the cut edge. Suitable attachment members include adhesive tape or a bead of adhesive which permanently bonds the finishing strip to the floor covering. The adhesives may include either heat or non-heat activated glues provided at spaced locations or continuously along the cut edge. More preferably, however, the attachment member comprises a piece of two-sided tape having a length and width generally corresponding to that of the finishing strip. The two-sided tape is secured along a first side to the finishing strip, and a release sheet is carried by and releasably secured to the second other side of the tape. The release sheet is removed to activate the adhesive tape, whereupon the second side of the tape is pressed into contact with the floor covering to secure the finishing strip or ribbon in place.
Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention resides in a kit for finishing a cut edge of a floor covering comprising,
a fabric strip, said strip being elongated in a longitudinal direction and having a lateral width selected greater than a maximum thickness of said floor covering along said cut edge,
and an attachment member for securing said strip to said floor covering in a position substantially overlapping said cut edge, said attachment member including an adhesive for permanently bonding said strip to said floor covering.
In another aspect a kit for finishing a cut edge of a floor covering comprising,
a finishing strip selected from fabric, woven fibers, knit fibers, serged fibers, knitted fibers, finishing strips, said strip being elongated in a longitudinal direction and having a lateral width selected greater than a maximum thickness of said floor covering along said cut edge,
and an attachment member for securing said strip to said floor covering in a position substantially adjacent to said cut edge, said attachment member including an adhesive for permanently bonding said strip to said floor covering.
In another aspect, the present invention resides in combination a carpet roll and a carpet edging strip,
the carpet roll having prefinished longitudinally extending side edges, and being adapted to be cut laterally into at least one carpet runner presenting an unfinished cut edge,
the carpet edging strip including
a ribbon elongated in a longitudinal direction and having a lateral width selected to substantially overlap said cut ends, and
an adhesive strip for permanently securing said ribbon in overlying juxtaposition with a first one of said cut ends.
In a further aspect, the present invention resides in combination a carpet runner and a kit for finishing a cut edge of said carpet runner,
the carpet runner having prefinished longitudinally extending side edges, and at least one generally laterally extending cut end,
a kit including an edging strip comprising
an elongate serge ribbon having a longitudinal length and a lateral width, the ribbon including a longitudinally extending medial portion characterized by at least 80% of said fibers being arranged in an orientation of between about xc2x160 to 90 degrees (ie. oriented in either direction), and more preferably about xc2x170 to 90 degrees, from the longitudinal direction of said ribbon,
an adhesive strip of double-sided tape for securing said ribbon in overlying juxtaposition with said cut end, said double-sided tape having a longitudinal length and width substantially corresponding to that of said ribbon, a first side of said tape being aligned with and secured to a first side of said ribbon, and
a release sheet being releasably secured to the second other side of tape.
In yet another aspect, the invention resides in a finishing strip for use in finishing a cut edge of a floor covering having at least one other factory finished edge, the finishing strip being elongated in a longitudinal direction and including an attachment member for securing said strip to said floor covering in a position substantially adjacent to said cut edge, a portion of said strip characterized by elongate fibers being arranged in an orientation of between about xc2x160 to 90 degrees from the longitudinal direction of said strip, the attachment member including an adhesive for placement generally interposed between said finishing strip and said floor covering to permanently bond said strip over the cut edge of said floor covering.